Friday, March 28, 2008

Pop out the champagne, Sally Kern who just a few days ago said the "gays are worse than terrorism" and said the "gay agenda is spreading like a cancer" now has a change of heart. In front of P-FLAG (Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) she has said she does not rescind her previous comments but does not feels gays should be discriminated against with regards to employment.

We at Queers United applaud any positive step in the right direction, its small but it is something. Please contact Ms. Kern to thank her for her pro-LGBT sentiment, and also push for her to apologize for her previous offensive comments.

UPDATE: This is an email response I have received from Sally Kern after thanking her for her more progressive comments."For the record, I said a homosexual should not be fired from their job just because they are a homosexual. Meaning that if they are doing their job just the same as a heterosexual does their job, they should not be fired. Those from PFLAG misinterpreted my comments to mean that I think homosexuals should have equal rights as they interpret equal rights. I told them that as US citizens they already have equal rights but want special rights. Employers should not go on a witch hunt to fire homosexuals. I do not support laws that would force employers to check their First amendment rights to freedom of religion, speech, and association at the workplace. " -Representative Sally Kern

4 comments:

It seems totaly paradoxical to talk about non-discrimination against employment, yet standing firm with her original statements. I'm wondering if "the gay agenda" and 'a threat worse than terrorists' is coming against the issue, apart from individuals, as a movement, possibly seen as an agenda sent by 'the devil' where individuals caught up into being gay are otherwise innocent. (Just trying to get into her head on this) because her newest statement is all about individuals. I don't know - it's the only thing I can come up with, like she really isn't against any person, just against the perceived movement.

(OKLAHOMA CITY) After Rep. Sally Kern met with three community leaders, one of whom is the president of the Oklahoma City P-FLAG chapter, in her Oklahoma City capital office on Thursday, March 27, P-FLAG issued the following statement---

P-FLAG blog:http://www.pflag.org/blog/?p=165

However, Rep. Kern says P-FLAG used the meeting to put words in her mouth which she did not say. You can read her rebuttal statement here:

http://americansfortruth.com/news/sally-kern-rejects-pflag-account-of-meeting.html or http://tinyurl.com/ypfc73

I believe the meeting was recorded and that whatever was said by either party can be verified. This additional recording should be very valuable in the near future.

As I've said before when dealing with rabid religious fundamentalists it is not possible to expect them to behave in the way they are usually treated by our progressive friends, that is with civility and respect and the expectation the fundies will honor the words they have said. Since they act figuratively rabid, so should they be handled with figurative very thick gloves and a large physical distance between you and them.

I am acquainted with the three people with whom Rep Kern met, all of them of the progressive, religious mode of thinking and action, and I have no doubt of their honesty and integrity.

For Rep. Kern to state clearly and unequivocally that she was "used" in her discussion with them is nearly tantamount to the original outrageous speech she made that was recorded on Youtube. You can hear the complete audio from which the Youtube post was made of her speech and the transcript here: http://www.equalrightsproject.com/ This example of double-speak shows that Rep. Kern and her Konservative Korps of followers, that now includes the Thomas Moore Law Center www.thomasmore.org, and the American Family Association, www.afa.net, are not to be trusted.

Just as with Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" project, the second move Kern has made after gaining your attention with blood-curdling words is to then claim any criticism of Kern makes her a victim, violating her First Amendment freedoms, and the criticizer is the perpetrator of suppression.

Kern does not know what responsibility means, she does not know the difference between free speech and irresponsible speech.

With the information here http://tinyurl.com/yqe8kk you can let Rep. Kern know who you think is telling the truth, she or P-FLAG.

Here is a link to another story in the Oklahoman newspaper in Oklahoma City: http://newsok.com/article/3222587/1206766864with more explanation from Loyce Newton-Edwards, the OKC P-FLAG president.

In my opinion the P-FLAG members are acting honorably so I have to wonder why Rep. Kern would now be adverse to any further meetings with the Oklahoma City chapter of P-FLAG.

P-FLAG is as non-partisan as a gay/lesbian support group can get since it's a 501(c)3 tax-deductible organization.

Having talked face-to-face with gay-friendly advocates does Kern feel that further contact with Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is raising too much heat in her own kitchen for comfort?